New Year, New Career? Careers Resolutions and Solutions!

We’re now well into 2017, and memories of New Year’s resolutions may be fading.

If one of your resolutions was to find a new job, move forward in your career or just consider your options, and you’ve not progressed as far as you’d like, don’t be disheartened. This blog post aims to give you some practical tips to give you a kick-start and get you back on track.

When we think about finding a new job or changing roles, it can feel overwhelming – you might look at recruitment sites, start updating your CV, and then stop because you’re not sure where to go next. If this is where you are, then don’t worry!

Firstly, take a step back…spend time thinking about what you want. Is it a complete change – a move to a different kind of environment - perhaps going from a small to large business or vice versa, a role that allows you to become more specialist in a specific skill set, or moving into management? Maybe it’s more a case of the next step in your professional journey. Be clear about where you want to go.

Next, consider where you are now and your strengths, talents and interests. What has really enthused you at work in the last year? How do you want to use your skills and experience going forward?

Note your ideas down in whatever way suits you, bullet points, a mind map, even a drawing…the important thing is to allow yourself to reflect on what it is you want and what skills and experience you have that will help you get there.

Get researching. Use the Create & Develop job search to help you explore jobs. Talk to colleagues in your network. Use online recruitment sites to identify jobs interest you. Use LinkedIn to research the types of roles you want – who’s doing them and what’s been their journey? Be realistic - there may not be the perfect role for you out there at this point in time, so consider what you can do now to develop yourself, so you’re ready to grab opportunities when they come.

Review your CV. How well does it sell you for the job you want? Get some advice from a colleague or recruitment professional. Look at careers sites for advice on updating your CV.

Finally, stay positive. If it’s going to take some time to get the job you ideally seek, but you are not that happy at work, there are things can help. Decide to like your job, and write down positive aspects of it. Make a note each day of one thing you’ve achieved, whether its responding to an email that you’ve been putting off, finishing a piece of work early, or giving some brilliant client service. Make the most of opportunities to develop your skills.

Stay confident and remember that you can make this happen for yourself!

Esme Caulfield is a professional People Developer and organisational Change Manager with a strong background in careers advice and employability training. Her work is based on empowering people to be aware of their strengths, talents and achievements and using the confidence that gives them to enable them to progress in their career. Whilst working at the University of Salford, she successfully led a graduate employability programme, working with over 300 final year students and recent graduates to develop their job application and interview skills and place them with local businesses.

Esme will be sharing her invaluable insight via a series of regular write ups - cadresourcing.com/blog